


Alternative Pain Management

by Pedalinginhummus



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Cancer Arc, Episode: s04e14 Memento Mori, F/M, Forehead Kisses, Forehead Touching, Hurt/Comfort, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28703670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pedalinginhummus/pseuds/Pedalinginhummus
Summary: Does anyone else feel like that moment in Memento Mori was not the first time? Here’s a little something set during the early stages of the cancer arc.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Alternative Pain Management

She grimaces, hoping he’ll find some reason to step outside the office. Go to lunch. Track down a lead. Let her suffer in peace. But no, she can see him sneaking glances at her as he shuffles papers on his desk.

She clenches her jaw as the pulsing behind her eyes grows stronger. Pressing the heel of her palm beneath her eyebrow, she lets out a controlled breath as she tries to find some way to breathe through the pain.

“Scully?”

She hears him but she can’t bear to look up. She knows it’s a face fully of pity.

“What can I do?” Mulder asks as he wheels his chair closer to her. With her eyes still closed, she can feel his presence, just beyond reach.

“Find me some kind of medieval torture device,” she responds, moving her hands to rub behind her temples.

If he won’t leave, she will, she reasons. But as she stands up to make her way to the restroom, a fresh waves of nausea hits her. She stops, closes her eyes and steadies herself for a moment, praying he doesn’t notice.

“The pressure helps?” She nods, her eyes still closed, as she lets out another breath. The chair creaks and she hears him stand up behind her. 

“Let me,” he whispers. Furrowing her brow, she opens her eyes and turns back towards him, trying to understand what he means. Before she can question it, she feels his fingers in her hair, massaging the base of her skull.

“Like this?” he asks, drawing small circles as he inches closer to the back to her head.

Scully opens her mouth but all that escapes is something between a small moan and a hum of appreciation. She feels a tingling through her arms and he continues to run his fingers through her hair, adding pressure and circles as she responds to his touch.

“How’s that?” He murmurs as Scully’s head dips down to his shoulder, pushing against him to try to add pressure to her forehead.

“Incredible,” she whispers, rolling her head back and forth against his chest and letting her self pride slip further away as the pain lessened. 

“Just need one more hand...” she mumbles with a muffled voice into his shirt, aching to feel pressure at every angle. “Maybe you could grow another hand out of your chest?”

Mulder chuckles. “Kind of like in _Alien_?”

“Mmm” she responds, rolling her eyes but unable to keep herself from smiling. Scully opens her eyes and lets out a small gasp when she feels Mulder angle her head back slightly and rest his own forehead again hers.

“Finally putting my head to good use down here,” he quips as he applies soft pressure to Scully’s forehead.

All Scully can do is let out a soft _oh_ as his fingers continue to run through her hair. She’s not sure how long they stand like this, but she’s certain Mulder would do it all afternoon if she asks him to.

“Thank you,” she says quietly and Mulder pulls back, staring at her, his thumbs still circling behind her ears. With the pain finally subsiding, she opens her eyes, all of a sudden finally aware of the intimacy.

Mulder’s eyes never leave hers as he asks “Better?” 

She nods, unable to pull away, as he finally stops his ministrations and pushes her hair behind her ear, letting his thumb slowly outline the edge of her jaw.

He leans in and places a soft kiss on her forehead, between her eyebrows, right where the cancerous mass lives. He lingers for a moment before finally standing straight and giving her a shy smile.

“Lunch?” he asks, as the moment passes.

“There’s a place right off of H street I think you’ll like.” Scully returns the smile and nods, averting her gaze as the last few minutes replay in her head.

She feels Mulder behind her, opening up her coat for her to put her arms through. 

With his hand on her back, they brave the cold, winter day together.


End file.
